


Chemistree

by tophsmash



Series: Adventures of Silas Apartments [1]
Category: Carmilla (Web Series), Carmilla - All Media Types
Genre: Christmas, F/F, Fluff, Hollstein - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-14
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-08 14:10:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8848102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tophsmash/pseuds/tophsmash
Summary: Carmilla spent a good life avoiding all of Silas Apartment Complex's social gatherings until the promise of free food and a glance at her floor neighbor she's been pining for lures her out. It's not until Perry forces everyone into secret santa that she realizes just how stupid she is over this girl.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO. I didn't think I would actually write this fic. Actually I planned on just releasing it as one giant one shot, but then I realized I don't have the self motivation for that! So here is a decent portion of it and I'm counting on your nice comments, concerns, and suggestions to push me to finish before Christmas!

Christmas was stupid. Baking cookies was stupid. Socializing with a bunch of over-festive lackwits was stupid. Carmilla was lured out of her apartment with the promise of cider and free food, but it was the bubbly blonde practically vibrating with holiday spirit that pushed her to stay at their small apartment complex’s holiday take at a wine and cheese. Only instead, the cider was non-alcoholic, the cookies had faces, and the music was threatening to snap Carmilla’s sanity.

 

“Why are you scowling all the way over there Carm-sexy?” Carmilla’s over sized, man puppy, neighbor slid along the wall to be next to her.

 

Carmilla didn’t even look in his direction. “Can I go now?” she drawled in a rather bored tone.

 

Kirsch scoffed, “Please, you could’ve left as soon as you got here, but you’ve been creepily watching little nerd hottie over there for the last hour.”

 

Carmilla growled at him but didn’t dispute the matter at all, folding her arms tightly over her chest. Kirsch chuckled at her, but their attention was brought to the flaming headed ginger obnoxiously tapping her glass with a spoon.

 

“Thanks again so much for coming to this year’s Silas Apartment Holiday Cider and Cookie!” she began a little too cheerfully for Carmilla’s taste. “This year since we had such a good turn out, we’ve decided to do a Secret Santa!”

 

“No, no, no.” Carmilla piped up, and eyes turned to her in surprise. “Sorry Curly Sue, count me-“ Kirsch hugged her to his side and slapped a hand over her mouth.

 

“She’d love to participate! Please, continue,” he gestured with his freehand.

 

“As I was saying…you’ll find a paper with a name and apartment number written on it in your goodie bag! We hope to see you all at the next complex gathering!” Perry clapped her hands together, dismissing the attendants.

 

Everyone began awkwardly shuffling around, grabbing their bags and heading back to their homes.

 

Carmilla bite Kirsch’s fingers until he let go with a yelp. “Not cool!”

 

“Don’t even start with me. Now someone is going to be disappointed, because I don’t DO Secret Santa,” she bit and began collecting her things from the lounge.

 

“Why don’t you check your bag before you make a hasty decisions,” he said with a smug look.

 

Carmilla narrowed her eyes at him. “What are you up to meat-head?”

 

He simply shrugged and nodded at the bag. She reached inside and pulled out a slip of colored paper with “Laura Hollis, 307” written in neat script.

 

“What? But how did you- When did you even-” Carmilla sputtered. Kirsch winked at her and just walked over to the cookie table to take some leftovers home.

 

So Laura Hollis, that was her name. Carmilla had been living the last year or so of her life just referring to her hall neighbor as “Cupcake Girl” after their first encountering her in the elevator.

 

 

 

 

 

_ Carmilla was exceptionally grumpy after work and just wanted to curl up in her home with Kipling and a stiff drink. As she made her way to the elevator, she immediately hit her floor number and tapped her foot impatiently. _

 

_ “Hold the door! Hold the door!” _

 

_ She heard the frantic voice from the lobby and groaned, but still reach out to hold the door. _

 

_ A tall stack of bakery boxes with legs practically sprinted into the elevator and- _

 

_ “No, don’t, wait!” _

 

_ -hit the back wall. _

 

_ There was a soft oof as the white boxes collapsed under the pressure and smeared what looked like 3 dozen cupcakes onto the tiny blonde’s body. The doors shut and the adorable blonde just sort of blinked in surprise at the blue frosting now covering her body, and the mess of boxes on the floor. _

 

_ Carmilla was charmed instantly by the girl. Her mouth opened and closed uselessly, trying to say SOMETHING helpful, but instead “What floor?” came out. _

 

_ The blonde just looked up at her, then back down her front, before bursting into hysterical laughter, eventually holding up 3 fingers to Carmilla, who was biting her lip hard trying her best not to giggle with the girl. _

 

 

 

 

 

Carmilla sauntered over to the cookie table, where Laura was chatting with Kirsch but held a serious expression as she contemplated her cookie options.

 

“Hey Cupcake.”

 

“Cupcake?” Laura swung around with a confused expression before the memory hit her and an adorable giggle bubbled out of her.

 

“Fancy meeting you here.” Stupid, stupid, stupid. What the hell happened the the suave and charming demeanor she was known for?!

 

“Well I do live here,” Laura chuckled.

 

“Smooth,” Kirsch jested from behind Laura.

 

“Beat it Brew-dolph,” she sent him her most menacing glare, but Kirsch only gave her a shit eating grin before shuffling away. He gave Carmilla a dopey thumbs up from behind Laura’s head before leaving.

 

Laura smiled at Carmilla, radiant as ever. “So what brings you to an actual complex function? I think you’ve been at Silas longer than I have, but I’ve never seen you at any of Perry’s parties before.”

 

“Keeping tabs on me, Cutie?” she smirked at her.

 

Laura’s smile faltered and red began to creep up her neck, turning her ears a delightful shade of pink.

 

“NO!” She yelled a little too quickly. “I mean yes. I mean, I keep track of all the third floor residents! We’re neighbors after all! I want everyone to have fun, and sometimes I don’t see you come out of your apartment for days, and I think ‘Man, must be lonely in there!’ Not that there’s anything WRONG with staying in your apartment for long periods of time! But I’m just shocked to see you here. Not that it’s weird that you came, just that I go to most of Perry’s parties and-“

 

“Breathe, Cupcake,” Carmilla laughed.

 

She did as she was instructed and filled her lungs up before exhaling dramatically.

 

“Let’s try that again. Hi, I’m Laura.” She stuck out her hand.

 

“Carmilla,” she smirked and took it. “I think I’ll be coming out of my room a little more often now,” she said boldly.

 

Laura squeaked and bit her lip to keep herself from grinning like an idiot. “Well lucky for you, I’ve already planned your next outing!”

 

Carmilla raised her eyebrow despite the small smile still playing on her lips. “Oh you did, did you?”

 

Laura nodded eagerly with a boost of confidence. “My place, room 307, tomorrow night, 8 o’clock.” She poked Carmilla in the chest for good measure before grabbing her bag and skipping towards the elevators.

 

Carmilla rubbed the spot and grinned in the direction of the girl. Maybe the holidays weren’t so bad after all.

 

 

The holidays were awful.

 

“Laura no,” Carmilla said firmly.

 

“Come on Carm! Pleeease!” She ignored the way her stomach fluttered at the nickname, but she was putting her foot down.

 

“Not a chance, Cutie; I don’t bake.”

 

Laura’s kitchen was covered in baked goods with every imaginable color of frosting and sprinkles known to mankind.

 

“That’s the best part! The cookies are already baked, so we’re just decorating!” Laura jabbered happily. She grinned ear to ear as Carmilla sighed and stepped further into the kitchen, knowing she lost this battle.

 

As much as she loathed to admit it, Carmilla was having fun. She was surprised at the banter between them and Laura’s ability to catch her sarcasm and throw it back at her full force.

 

“Alright Picasso, let’s see it.”

 

Carmilla lazily held up her cookie: a gingerbread man with blood coming from this neck and X’s for eyes.

 

“Carm!” she shouted in protest. Carmilla only shrugged.

 

She loaded her finger tip with icing and approached. Laura held up a rubber spatula to defend herself and backed away.

 

“Oh no you don’t.”

 

Carmilla only grinned mischievously before lunging at the girl, who abandoned her weapon, shrieked, and made a run for it. She chased the girl around the small apartment and into the living room where she snagged Laura around the waist with her clean hand and pulled her in, turning her to face her doom.

 

Before Laura could yell, Carmilla dragged her sugar coated fingers down Laura’s face, from her forehead to the tip of her nose. 

 

Their laughter faded at the realization of their close proximity, and suddenly nothing was funny anymore. Well it was a little funny; Laura DID have icing on her face.

 

Carmilla’s hand had yet to leave Laura’s waist, and she visibly gulped. The action made Laura’s eyes leave hers and dart towards Carmilla’s mouth. 

 

Then the doorbell rang.

 

Laura cleared her throat and stepped away, trying to process the tension as she went and answered the door. 

 

“What’s up frosh?” 

 

“Hello Laura!”

 

“Hey Laura.”

 

Carmilla’s normal grumpy attitude returned at the interruption by the ginger parade. 

 

“Hey guys! This is Carmilla, she-”

 

“Was just leaving,” Carmilla finished for her.

 

“What? No, stay! We’re watching Christmas movies tonight!”

 

Carmilla sighed. “I don’t know Cupcake, seem’s like you’ve already got your hands full here.” Pippy Longstockings and Ginger Frankenstein from the 2nd Floor and Xena from down the hall weren’t exactly Carmilla’s ideal idea of company for her Friday night.

 

She made the mistake of glancing back at Laura, who gave her the biggest puppy dog eyes. Carmilla squeezed her eyes shut immediately and turned her head away for good measure.

 

“Please stay?”

 

“No.”

 

“Please?”

 

“No.”

 

“Pretty please?”

 

“Fine.” Carmilla accepted her defeat and newly whipped status for this girl and dropped herself heavily onto the loveseat. “Let’s do this.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so I'm super late but technically I finished this before Christmas is over! (for me at least). Shout out to my homie Claire for fixing all my grammar and making me question what I assumed was common phrasing. Happy Holidays my dudes, enjoy.

The movies were generic and boring, and Carmilla would’ve started to doze off if it weren’t for the tiny blonde crammed against her side. Seating was limited in the Casa de Hollis, but Carmilla smugly noticed there was more than enough room on the loveseat for the two of them not to be touching. 

 

Her heart rate picked up when Laura slyly slid her hand from her lap onto Carmilla’s leg, palming facing back at her. Carmilla gulped. She couldn’t wipe her now sweaty palm on her jeans without Laura noticing. It was go big or go home.

 

Slowly, watching for signs of disapproval, she lifted her hand under Laura’s arms and into her waiting palm, interlocking their fingers. Chancing a glance at the blonde’s face, her heart beat a little harder when she saw the small smile playing on her lips.

 

Laura leaned her head over onto Carmilla’s shoulder, and the two relaxed into the cushions for the remainder of the ridiculous marathon. 

  
  
  
  


 

It was 2 days until Christmas when Carmilla heard from Laura again. She was snuggled quite comfortably in her oversized bed when she heard persistent knocking at her door. Carmilla pulled her blanket over her head and willed the person to leave, but the loud pounds were not ending anytime soon. 

 

She groaned loudly and dragged her body to the door, scowl in place.

 

“What the hell do you- oh. Hey Cupcake,” she croaked in her sleepy voice.

 

Laura’s smile was blinding. “Get dressed sleepy head; we’re going out!”

 

Carmilla couldn’t help the smirk that formed on her face. “Oh we are, are we?”

 

Laura only nodded, unfazed by her smoldering gaze, and held up a knit hat with black kitten ears. Carmilla just shook her head, eyes not leaving the offending clothing garment.

 

“Yeah, now get your cute butt in something warm and take a walk with me! It’s the first snow of the season!”

 

“So you think I’m cute, huh?” Carmilla laughed as a red faced Laura just shoved her back inside her apartment with instructions to meet her outside in 10 minutes.

 

When Carmilla got outside, she squinted at the reflective light in the snow.

 

“Oh geez, I’m going to go blind...Cupcake where’d you go?”

 

Carmilla barely had time to finish the sentence before she was smacked in the face by a cold, powdery, frozen sphere. 

 

She sputtered in surprise as Laura nearly toppled over laughing from her hidden post behind a garbage can.

 

“Oh, you’ll pay for that!” Laura squealed as Carmilla charge at her, scooping up snow in her bare hands.

 

“Get back here, Cremepuff!” 

 

“Carm, please! I’m sorry!” Laura laughed as she continued to dip and dodge the brunette. 

 

“Raaaaaaah!” Carmilla suddenly dove for Laura’s feet, tackling them both to the ground. The girls fell in a mess of limbs into a dirty snow pile in the yard of the complex. Carmilla quickly climbed over Laura, holding her wrists in one hand to stop her escape.

 

Laura’s breath hitched as Carmilla’s face was at such close proximity. Her brows rose as Carmilla leaned in towards her head.

 

She could feel Carmilla’s warm breath against her lips. “You’ll pay for that stunt, Cupcake.”

 

Then Carmilla quickly yanked Laura’s coat forwards and shoved a handful of partially melted snow down her front.

 

After payback and more frolicking (that Carmilla would deny to her grave), the pair were surprised by the early winter sunset. When Laura started to head back to the building, Carmilla tugged her hand back to her and nodded towards the trail to the nearby park.

 

The couple walked hand in cold hand for a while before Laura spoke.

 

“Tell me something.”

 

“What do you want to know?”

 

“You. I want to know about you.”

 

She paused. “There’s not much to tell, Cremepuff. I don’t leave my apartment enough, I have a philosophy masters I’ll never utilize, and I write things that happen to sell,” she shrugged.

 

“Oh please, there’s so much more to you Carm. I know you’re so much more than that Belle Dame san Merci vibe you like to give off whenever Silas residents get within a 10 feet radius. I’ve known that from day 1 in that elevator.” Laura surmised.

 

Carmilla smiled to herself, her chest aching for the girl gripping her hand like it was the only thing tethering her to this world.

 

“Well, I love the stars. If I weren’t so pretentious I would have been an astronomy major,” she chuckled. “I have a special place in my heart for Goethe, but I only read it in his native Deutsch.”

 

Carmilla stopped walking, and Laura’s hand slipped out of hers. She turned back towards Carmilla, confused. 

 

“And I am a phenomenal dancer.” Carmilla smiled at her and held out her hand. 

 

Laura bit her lip to hide the grin that would almost certainly made her look like a damn fool. Carmilla didn’t mind one bit. She placed her hand in Carmilla’s outstretched one and was immediately pulled chest to chest and whirled around.

 

They danced to no music under the dim glow of the park lights, and neither noticed their cheeks beginning to sting from the cold or the rapid thumping in their chests when Carmilla slowly dipped Laura low, cradling her back carefully.  

  
  
  
  


 

 

Laura spent Christmas day with her father, and Carmilla tolerated her siblings and mother as long as she could before she found herself back at her own doorstep fumbling for her keys. A small bag was hanging on her door. 

 

Confused, she took the bag inside and opened it up.

 

She couldn’t help the prickling behind her eyes as she pulled out a specially illustrated copy of Kipling’s “ _ Jungle Book _ ,” with a post-it note on the front with a short and sweet:

 

**_Go get your girl. Merry Christmas Carm-sexy._ **

**_-Love your secret bro-Santa_ **

 

“What an idiot,” she muttered to herself with a watery laugh.

 

She immediately hopped up from her couch and grabbed Laura’s present from her counter, running down the hall to the familiar apartment 307.  

 

Knocking lightly on the door, she rocked back and forth on her heels.

 

Laura opened the door and a warm smile was instantly painted on her face. 

 

“Carm!”

 

“Merry Christmas, cutie. I’m your secret santa.” She thrust the bag towards Laura, who looked startled. “Open it,” she encouraged. 

 

Laura peered inside the bag and gasped quietly. She reached inside and pulled out two pre-registration badges for the spring comic-con.

 

“I figured we could go together. You can dress up like Lois Lane if you want, and I won’t even tease you at all!” She reconsidered the statement. “Okay, maybe a little bit.”

 

“Carm.”

 

“I mean you don’t HAVE to go with me; you can bring whoever you want,” Carmilla backpedaled.

 

“Carm.”

 

“Like Xena or Frankenstein,” she continued to ramble.

 

“Carm.”

 

“Or you can even sell those passes if you want and get something. I probably have a receipt…”

 

“Carmilla!” Carmilla looked at her with wide eyes. “Look up.”

 

She tilted her head back and saw the sprig of green dangling above them.

 

“Smooth, Sundance, very smooth.” She laughed softy despite her rapid heart beats before leaning in slowly and pressing her mouth gently against Laura’s, who sighed into her and pulled her in closer by the collar of her sweater.

 

Laura broke her mouth away after what felt like too soon, but stayed close.

 

“Merry Christmas Carm,” she whispered against her lips.

 

Carmilla just grinned and swooped down to reconnect her mouth to Laura’s again.


End file.
